Okay, so once again, I did not get to complete - or this time so much as start - my preview for the upcoming NFL season, when the season opener kind of snuck up on me.
Indeed later today, the Detroit Lions, who are suddenly thrust in the position of being one of the relative favorites to make some noise this season, visit the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Part of my recent trip out to the Midwest and West were a couple of football preseason games, which included one game at Kansas City. So it seemed like a good idea to post a couple of pictures from the pregame warm-ups here.
Now, onto the game itself tonight:
Yes, the Lions are now favorites to do some things, which is a rare treat for their fans. Mostly, this is for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Lions recovered from an awful start last season to win eight of their final ten games, and finish 9-8. That was not enough to push them into the postseason, although that brings us to the second reason why they are favorites. The NFC North is considered one of the weakest divisions in the league now. The Vikings were the strongest team in the division last year, finishing 13-4, and enjoying some highlights that will be remembered for years, including an amazing shootout win at Buffalo, as well as the greatest comeback in NFL history, when they came back from being down, 33-0, to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. However, many suspected that the Vikings were not as strong as their record indicated, and a small collapse to drop to the third seed in the NFC at the end of the regular season, followed by a fast exit in the playoffs after they lost to my Giants, did nothing to detract from the criticisms and suspicions that the Vikings really were not as good as their record would indicate. As for the Packers, they have to adjust to life without Aaron Rodgers, and they themselves were not even all that great with Rodgers last year. As for the Chicago Bears, they literally were bad enough to earn the number one pick in the draft last year.
So with all of that going on, yes, the Detroit Lions have moved into the unfamiliar position of being favorites by many to take the division, with some even suggesting that their offense is explosive enough to make some noise and possibly advance and make a deep run through the playoffs this year.
Maybe. But I am still looking at the team, and remembering that while they did get hot late last season, they also did have that dismal 1-6 start. If not for that, they indeed very well may have qualified for the playoffs and - who knows? - might have made some noise last season. And while the Vikings may not have been as good as they appeared last season, they still feel like they should be the favorites. In other words, the pressure is on the Lions to prove that they are as good as the preseason billing, because they cannot afford to have to recover from another abysmal start, if that's how this season goes.
As for the Chiefs, they won the Super Bowl. It was their second Super Bowl title in four seasons, and they were the AFC representatives to the Super Bowl three times during that span. So this is a team with deep talent and experience. They finished 14-3 last season, and have now not only qualified to play in, but have actually hosted each of the last five AFC Championship Games. In other words, they have earned all of the hype that surrounds them.
To me, that suggests that they are still a very formidable force. Moreover, they deserve to be considered among the NFL's favorites for this season's Super Bowl, as well, and that will remain to be the case as long as they have Andy Reid as head coach, Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, and Travis Kelce at tight end. True, their defense is presently not at full strength, because the biggest star on that unit, Chris Jones, has not yet signed.
Still, KC feels a bit like they stepped into the shoes of the New England Patriots. Like Belichick, Andy Reid just flat out knows how to guide a team to success, as his teams have enjoyed far more winning seasons than losing ones. And that is for a reason. They are playing in what likely will be a highly charged, emotional game to begin their campaign as defending champions. Also, they still have Mahomes, and he always seems to have his team right their, pretty much in every game.
So with all of that said, it would just feel strange to pick against the Chiefs in this one. Reid will likely have his team ready, and Mahomes is a wild card who could burn Detroit's defense. The Lions can still enjoy a successful season even if they lose this game, and I suspect that they will indeed do so. The Chiefs are just too strong, and have too much experience in their corner, for me to pick against them. Look for a relatively tight game, with the Chiefs pulling away perhaps towards the end.
My pick: Kansas City
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